Happy 2009!!!

We had a great New Year's. First we went over to the Parker's and enjoyed some great company and even greater food!!! The kids had a blast playing the Wii as you can see in the pictures. We played guitar hero. Tanalyn was rock-in it!!! I on the other hand sucked at it! Thanks Parker's for letting us come and crash your party, we had a great time!


Afterward we headed up to my parents house to ring in the "new year." There we had more great food. I know I know, but it was still the holiday's....right!! Anyway, Matt brought up a race track that Bridger got for Christmas. Needless to say the boys worked on it for most of the time. Before we new it, it was 12 o'clock. Greg ran outside to light some fireworks and the kids grabbed some pots and pans. Then it was right back in to finish the darn race track. Well about 55 minutes later they got it to work...finally we could go home!! By then we were all pretty tired and ready for bed.

Happy New Year to you all. I hope you all have a great and wonderful 2009!

Christmas Day

Christmas Morning....
Well Santa found the Carley's!!! The kids were so excited when they walked in and saw all the presents. If is so fun to see their little faces light up! I remember that excited feeling when I was little...I loved it!!! I think Ashlynn and Mitch where both pretty happy with what Santa had brought them.




Breakfast at Grandma and Grandpa Chipman's...
Every Christmas morning we go to my parents for breakfast and to open more presents!!! It gets a little crazy at times but the kids have a blast exchanging gifts with one another and telling each other what "Santa" had brought them!!


More Christmas...
Later that day we headed to Saratoga Springs to see Steve and Dianne.(Greg's dad) Unfortunately I don't have any pics, but we had a great time. The kids where spoiled once again, they didn't mind...if you can imagine!!!
Once we got back home Grandma Debbie came over and brought even more gifts for the kids...wow, they are SPOILED kids!!!



Thank you to all my family and friends for making this such a great Christmas Season. I hope you all had a wonderful one!!!

Christmas Eve...

As always our tradition is to go to my parents home on Christmas Eve. We all had a great time. We of course had our "toast," we had really good food...oh you gotta love the holidays!!! We played some games and watched all of our favorite....A Christmas Story! The kids got to open up one present, hmmm what could it be....well pajamas of course!!!



When we got home that night, Ashlynn was so excited to get ready for Santa. We put our cookies and carrots on a plate and got some eggnog for good old Saint Nick, then we read are Christmas story and off to bed they went!!!

One excited little girl!!!

If you remember last year, Mitch was really sick. Well he was sick again this Christmas. That's about right!! Luckily he wasn't as bad as last year. You can tell by this picture he wasn't feeling very good.

Breakfast at McDonald's

Oh yes, it must be Christmas Eve Eve! Well that is what we call it anyway. Every December 23rd we go to the AF McDonald's for breakfast. My parents started this little silly tradition about 35 years ago!! It just wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't get our once a year trip to McDonald's. Well as you can imagine our family has definitely grown as the years have gone by!
I think we drove all the people crazy there that morning. As you can tell by the pics all the kids had a blast. Thank you Mom and Dad for the great breakfast...more like the great tradition!!!

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!

I don't remember the last time we had this much snow for Christmas...I love it!! Mitch was so excited to get out and play. Of course he had to help his dad plow the snow!!

Ashlynn's Christmas Dance Program

Ashlynn had her dance program on December 13th. She did really good. She danced to "Tiki Room." It was such a darling a dance!
After the program Santa came to visit! Good thing because this was the one and only time they got to sit on Santa's lap this year...I know what horrible parents we are!!! All Mitch cared about was the candy canes in the basket! Ashlynn on the other hand, well she had a few things to discuss with Santa!

Ashlynn and Sami Jo

Ashlynn and Grandma Debbie

Ashlynn and Daddy

Our Christmas Progressive Dinner...

Each year we have our traditional "Progressive Dinner." This gives us all a chance to see each others houses decorated for Christmas, and to get a picture of all the kids by every ones Christmas tree. So what we do is start out with appetizer's. This year it was at the Carson's home.

Matt and Mandy's Christmas Tree

In the past we have had just three houses to go too, but now that Quint is married we have four homes. My mom is always in charge of bringing a Christmas book to read to all of us. Usually we have her read it at the dinner home. So this year having four homes we decided to have a "Christmas story house"....luckily for me, that was my house, I didn't have to worry about a thing!!! That's okay I don't feel too bad seeming I had to do the dinner last year!

Grandma reading the story

Uncle Shawn telling his own Christmas story...more like teasing!!

The Carley Christmas Tree (you can't see much of it!)

After the story we headed to Shawn and Aimee's house for some dinner!!

Shawn and Aimee's Christmas Tree

After dinner we headed to Quint and Jen's for some yummy dessert!!

Quint and Jen's Christmas Tree

Wow, what a night! I think everyone had a great time. I know I did!!!